Online Games for Studying English and Having Fun

Along with writing for Michinoku Pro Wrestling in Japan, I also work here as an English teacher, and many of my students visit my blog. English is a very challenging language for them to learn, and they often seek new ways to improve their English skills. I feel that one of the most effective ways to study English is by utilizing training that is educational with a decent balance of fun.

Research has proven that online games can be used as an effective English learning tool. A 2014 study reported that low-level English learners in Iran who learned new words from an online game performed better on a test than the study participants who did not have access to the online game.

I was recently made aware of Plays.org, a website that offers an impressive assortment of games that can be played online. All of the games use HTML5, which means that you are not required to install software in your computer to be able to play them.

One of the categories that Plays.org features is Educational Games, which includes word games. My personal favorite amongst them is, "Waffle" a word finder game developed by Code This Lab.

The goal of, "Waffle" is to try to spell as many words as you can in under 2 minutes. This game will help you remember English words and "think more in English". Also, "Waffle" is very easy to learn and play. This is the game that I recommend that you use as a part of your English studies. However, Plays.org also offers games that are good for when you just want to have fun.

With around 11 million fans, soccer is one of the most popular sports in Japan. Plays.org features "Soccer Online", a billiards-style game with a soccer game theme. Play as your favorite national team as you attempt to knock the ball into your opponent's goal as often as you can before time runs out.

Mega Man (known as, "Rockman" in Japan) is a video game character who was created in 1987 and remains relevant to this day, with a new animated series about the science fiction hero making its debut on national television in the United States only three years ago. The original, "Mega Man" games were side-scrollers, with Mega Man shooting at enemies who he would encounter in his path. Inspired by this popular series of games, "Cyberman V" was created, which is available on Plays.org. This game will be fun for people who are familiar with Mega Man, as well as those who don't know of the character.

Plays.org is a great source for online games. They feature a wide variety of categories, the games are free, and no extra software is needed. Plays.org is definitely worth checking out.